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The benefit of the feedback you get from your agent cannot be overestimated. Agents spend their days talking with tenants so they know exactly what tenants want and can quickly react to trends in the market. Fluctuations in the market occur for a number of reasons throughout the year, (which could be the subject of another blog) and a good agent is an excellent tool for measuring demand. This blog explores how best to utilise this valuable resource.

Your agent should give you regular feedback on viewings at your property. Make time for them to do this for you, tell them what methods of contact you prefer and when you like to be contacted. Some landlords like to be called each time we visit and others prefer a quick email, some want a weekly roundup.

You can do your part by remaining receptive to what your agent is telling you. It is much easier for an agent to advise you if you are clear about what you are, and are not, prepared to consider in respect of tenants’ requests. These may include: removing or providing furnishings; negotiating on rent; agreeing move-in dates; and improving décor and maintaining the property.

It might help for you to have a best scenario in mind, and an idea of your lowest limits. For instance the table below shows what you would really want, but gives the agent an idea of what you might be able to accommodate if a tenant requests it. You don’t have to prepare it in such a formal way but it might help you to list them in a way that you find appropriate, and then discuss the points with your agent. Don’t forget to keep re-evaluating this throughout the process if things change.

Best

Will accept

Will not accept

Rent £1000 per month

£900 per month

Less than £880 per month

Professional tenant

students with guarantor

students without guarantor DSS tenants

Furnished as it is

removing any furniture apart from the beds

adding furniture or removing the beds

Décor as is

Painting the living room and kitchen and external paintwork

Painting any other areas or replacing windows/doors

Move in 1st December

2 week lead time

More than a month lead time without increasing the rent

If you have laid out your wishes to your agent in this way they will still bring offers to you – indeed they are obliged to put offers forward, however they will have been able to negotiate ‘best terms’ offers with the prospective tenants based on your wishes, before approaching you. This should save a lot of time for you and the tenant, and allows us to act more efficiently as your agent.

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This is the month where men can legitimately grow a mustache and feel good about raising awareness of Prostate and Testicular Cancer and funds for research. Riley Marshall’s (male) staff are having a go at a Mo and as a little light relief we will chart their progress here in our rogues gallery. Here is the batch of ‘Before’ pictures – taken last week, this weeks photos will soon follow…

Let’s see if you can get as good as this one below by the end of the month fellas!